Back-to-school books are a must on every family’s seasonal reading list. In this batch of the best from the last decade, kids will find comfort in the relatable—and sometimes hysterical—stories about making friends, embracing individuality, and overcoming the various challenges that come along with a new environment.— Ronny Khuri
“Bird Boy”
By Matthew Burgess. Illus. by Shahrzad Maydani. 2021. Knopf. Gr. 1–3.
On his first day at a new school, Nico is aware of being an outsider, but that means he’s free to sit outside and befriend birds. This earns him the nickname Bird Boy, and while the teasing hurts Nico’s feelings, he rather likes the name. When he embraces it, he eventually makes friends.
“Gibberish”
By Young Vo. Illus. by the author. 2022. Levine Querido. K–Gr. 2.
Vo brilliantly conveys how terrifying and confusing a strange country can be and how much even one person’s acts of kindness can help. Dat, new to the U.S., can’t understand English, thus everything around him is depicted as pale and misshapen— until a girl at school helps him learn.
“Harry Versus the First 100 Days of School”
By Emily Jenkins. Illus. by Pete Oswald. 2021. Random/Schwartz & Wade. Gr. 1–3.
As school days pass one at a time, covering every type of school activity or event along the way, first-grader Harry goes from a bundle of nerves on the first day of school to, by the hundredth, a confident young learner with a cache of well-earned knowledge and social skills.
“Make New Friends”
By Joshua David Stein. Illus. by Mariachiara Di Giorgio. 2025. Abrams. PreS–Gr. 3.
On Tomasso’s first day at his new school, he has trouble connecting with his classmates, but his imagination leads him to make some surprising new friends: a ball and a milk carton with faces drawn on them. But how will Tomasso’s concerned father react when he meets them?
“Mr. S”
By Monica Arnaldo. Illus. by the author. 2023. HarperCollins/Katherine Tegen. PreS–Gr. 3.
On the first day of kindergarten, the teacher is missing from Room 2B. A sign reading “Welcome to Mr. S’s Class” leads the kids to wonder where he is, but after noticing the sandwich (with googly olives for eyes) on the teacher’s desk, they wonder if their teacher could be Mister Sandwich.
“The Proudest Blue”
By Ibtihaj Muhammad and S. K. Ali. Illus. by Hatem Aly. 2019. Little, Brown. K–Gr. 3.
The first day of school is also the first day of hijab for little Faizah’s sixth-grade sister, Asiya, who selects a beautiful shade of blue to wear. Faizah sees her sister as a princess, but not everyone shares that perspective. As bullying ensues, it inspires Faizah to represent her culture with confidence.
“School’s First Day of School”
By Adam Rex. Illus. by Christian Robinson. 2016. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. PreS–Gr. 1.
In this fresh, charming take on first-day jitters, the anthropomorphized Frederick Douglass Elementary is a brand-new school, and so far, he only knows the janitor. The first day is coming, however, and School is worried that the kids won’t like him.
“The Shape of Home”
By Rashin Kheiriyeh. Illus. by the author. 2021. Levine Querido. K–Gr. 2.
The concept of shapes serves as a unifying theme as Rashin excitedly prepares for her first day at a new school. As she walks to school, she sees many things that translate into shapes—and memories, for Rashin, connecting her old home in Iran with her new one.
“Sophie’s Squash Go to School”
By Pat Zietlow Miller. Illus. by Anne Wilsdorf. 2016. Random/Schwartz & Wade. PreS–Gr. 2.
Starting school is tense for Sophie, even with her best friends (two squash with smiley faces) along for companionship. The other kids don’t understand her squash, and she’s not ready for real friends—until inspiration comes from a class discussion on what makes a good friend.
“A Thousand White Butterflies”
By Jessica Betancourt-Perez and Karen Lynn Williams. Illus. by Gina Maldonado. 2021. Charlesbridge. K–Gr. 3.
Isabella is excited for her first day of school in a new country, though she misses Colombia and her father. When school is canceled because of a winter storm, she’s heartbroken, but then, undeterred by language barriers, she makes a friend out in the snow.
“Unicorn Is Maybe Not So Great After All”
By Bob Shea. Illus. by the author. 2019. Disney/Hyperion. K–Gr. 2.
School is back in session, and Unicorn, hoping to be noticed, tries to top a cool new fad at school. His obnoxiously self-centered behavior rankles his friends, but with unexpected help and a new perspective, Unicorn discovers what makes him feel truly awesome: being a good friend.
“Who Knows the Way to Mr. Grimly’s Classroom?”
By Chris Priestley. Illus. by Mariachiara Di Giorgio. 2026. Candlewick. K–Gr. 2.
When a teacher asks if anyone knows the way to Mr. Grimly’s classroom to return a book, Grace volunteers—even though it’s her first week at school and she has no idea where the classroom is. Thus begins an eerie but enchanting adventure through a grand, mysterious campus.
This article was originally published in Booklist Reader, the magazine for library patrons, from the American Library Association’s nationally distributed book review publication, Booklist.
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